Monday, June 29, 2009

A HUGE thank you to my good friend Jessie over at CakeSpy! Jessie has a series sweet tooth and I couldn't resist tempting her by sending a few photos of some of the delicious sweets Budapest has to offer! She wrote some very nice things about me here and I think I got her sweet tooth craving an apple retes!

Jessie's business has really taken off! Her illustrations are adorable and her sweet adventures are inspiring! Check out her blog here and her etsy shop here. Thanks Jessie for posting me on CakeSpy!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Sometimes you find cool designs in the strangest places. Steven saved this for me. He thought I would like the details in the label. He was right. Click on the image and it will open up so you can zoom in. The little bird, the tree made of oranges and lime and the "folk" like pieces that are part of the orange in the upper left hand corner. Very clever Fanta! I like it!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

I always imagined this blog to be filled with tons of inspiring images. I am a visual person. I am inspired by what I see-colors, shapes, details in crafts. And well, honestly-my writing is terrible, grammar is atrocious and my spelling...well thank god for spell check!

Today I will post no images. Instead a link to an article that has really inspired me. I subscribe to a weekly email from Jeffrey Gitomer. His sales, customer loyalty, and personal development advice is often very timely for me. His most recent post was great! In a time of doom and gloom it is refreshing to read how "outside change makes inside change okay".

Saturday, June 20, 2009

I started licensing my art with Ipop Clicks about a year ago. After so many requests from friends and family I decided to start selling them myself! They come in a nice plastic case. Great for gift giving!!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Sometimes you meet people in life that you fell instantly comfortable around. Like you have known them longer than you have. I recently meet one of these people. I was introduced to her through a mutual friend who though we might “click”. And he was right. We did. She was so gracious to invite me to her lovely home just outside of Budapest. I had a wonderful evening full of inspiring conversation surrounded by a beautiful environment. I left yesterday morning feeling refreshed and ready to design beautiful things. Thank you Catherine.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

My friend Szilvi is a textile instructor at the Képző és Iparművészeti Szaközépiskola (Fine and Applied Art Vocational Secondary School). She invited me to the school to see the end of the year exhibition. I visited the school a few months ago and was introduced to her textile students. I was so impressed by the work they were doing. It was great to see their completed projects.

A little bit about this school...Students must apply with a portfolio when they are 14 years old! They choose an area of study such as; ceramics, graphic design, textiles, fashions, leather, painting, ect...When they start school they are assigned a teacher who will be their teacher for the next four years. The students take the standard classes but then the rest of their schedule is filled with classes based on their area of study. This high school feels very much like a university. The students are extremely focused and the work is spectacular! I was lucky enough to have Mercedesz Dekleva be my guide through the school. Her knowledge about the school and the different areas of study was impressive. There is a picture of her work below. Thanks Mercedesz for spending so much time with me!

Below are a few photos that I took at the exhibition. There was so much good work I can not show it all. Most of the work below is done by juniors.

Judit Pusztai-textile studentthe below is made of aluminum foil! The photoon the right isone of her final pieces.

Flóra Varga-textile studentI love her illutrations and color!

Mercedesz Dekleva-ceramics studentThis is the work of my gracious tour guide.

Eszter Ács-leather studentI really like this piece. I like the illustrations andI like how the leather bag looks like copper.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

As I was checking the daily blogs that I read, I came across Finish graphic designer and illustrator named Janine Rewell posted on the Pattern People blog. Janine's most recent project made me laugh and then pause and think....What a fantastic idea! Could this be a new trend for those who want a tattoo but don't want to commit for longer than a few weeks?

Solarium's or tanning beds are very popular here in Budapest. Maybe I will start going and taking my floral designs and placing them on me...could be interesting. What will they say about me on the subway? What do you think?

Thursday, June 11, 2009

I picked up my silk supplies from the post office today! I am so excited to put brush to silk again! I have to pick up a few more supplies, finalize my designs work on a color palette and then I can start painting! I have a September deadline to have some new work finished. I will share more about that later... :)

Below is a photo of my book of inspiration. I have never been one to collect magazines (I never look at them again once they are up on a bookshelf). I find I look through a magazine 3 times. First time I take a quick glance through it. Second time I read and take my time absorbing all the articles and Google anything of interest. Third time, I tear it apart separating all the print and pattern by color. All the tears get thrown into a folder and eventually put into a book. The book is loosely organized by color. I need to start a second book as this one is busting at the seams-literally.

The girl on the cover is so beautiful. Why don't we dress like this? The world would be a happier place if everyone wore a little bit more pink, red and orange!Don't you agree?

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

I love photography but am not a photographer! Everyday I have a few blogs I look at for my daily fix! One of them is BBC Day in Pictures. I just love the images they post. The one below was from today. I love the colors!

Monday, June 8, 2009

When I started this blog, my goal was to post once a week. However, there is so much going on that my posts are becoming more and more. I can not resist sharing a link to the New York Times article written yesterday about Design in Hungary!

Friday, June 5, 2009

"WAMP was established in 2006 with the aim to bringing designers closer to public and to creating a common platform for unique, quality and available design objects. The monthly WAMP design fair has become one of the most important cultural and design forums in Budapest. In the summer Erzsébet square (former bus station) and in winter Gödör Klub hosts the event.

Jewelery, graphic design, textiles, ceramics, glassware, recycling objects as well as toy design objects are presented by designers and some galleries present their works on the fair. The special atmosphere of the fair was once a novelty in Budapest but became an awaited regular event after becoming generally known.

The aim of the initiative is to support and promote contemporary Hungarian design, as well as to enhance demand for design in everyday life."

I will be selling pillows and cards! If you are in Budapest come by and say hello! And keep your fingers crossed for good weather!

I must give a HUGE thank you to my friend Andi who will be helping me on Sunday.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Have you heard of Herend? They are in the latest issue of Elle Decor (UK edition). I feel fortunate to live in the country where Herend is located - Hungary!

Tuesday, Sue (my friend) and I went to Herend for a factory tour. It was absolutely inspiring and wonderful! I have never been drawn to this type of pottery but after learning that all the factory workers go to "Herend School" for 3 years and graduate as either an expert potter, sculptor or painter-I was hooked! Herend employs 1000 people, 400 of them are painters. Any of the artists at Herend can submit new designs. They are then presented to a committee who decides if the designs are right for the Herend Collection.

What really impressed me is that 75% of the companies shares are held by the employees, while the remaining 25% are owned by the state.

This women is cutting all the little pieces out.This piece will take about 4 hours.

All the colors are premixed to Herend standards. They also work with 14 karat gold.

Depending on the painting technique, the artist has a littlefreedom with how the paint is applied and how the colors are mixed.

Each painter has a small signature line weight or marking that allowsthem identify the pieces they painted. Only the artists knows and seesthis mark. It could be as small as the thickness of a line be a little thinner.I love this design.I love all the colors and the butterfly makes me so happy!A fun and different piece for Herend. I saw this in the Museum. I cannot remember who the designer was.

FIND ME HERE

copyright & usage

All images and work shown here, unless otherwise credited, are the copyright of Diane Kappa Designs. If you would like to post my work or feature my images on your blog or pinterest, please give proper credit and link to my blog or website. Thank you.